Le Mercury in Islington

¡Qué placer! Todo sobre este restaurante era simplemente encantador! El personal era amable y eficiente y tiene un ambiente cálido y acogedor. Tomé la sopa de verduras seguida de bourguignon de ternera... y todo fue mmmm mmmm mmmmmm! Es un lugar pequeño e íntimo y nos encantó. ¡No se me ocurre mucho más que decir! Me gustó la sensación teatral del lugar.

Closed down- beware as it still permits you to book online!

!! ‼️CLOSED 3rd March 2025 ‼️!! This place is permanently CLOSED with a ballif sign on the door. It still let us book online but when we turned up it was shut.

A bit disappointing and underwhelming. Place was tired looking, it’s not really shabby chic but more a bit jaded. The food was tasty and well cooked but served lukewarm on cold plates - this was the case for every dish in a group of 8 diners.

A magnificent restaurant. Our starters, mains and desserts were absolutely delicious and were washed down with a lovely french white wine. The prices are unbelievable too. Amazing dining at amazing prices. I can't recommend this place enough.

Food was good but they massively overbooked on Valentine’s Day and we were queuing and then waiting for ages so we didn’t finish our meal until almost 11 despite a 7pm booking. Not worth the wait.

Amazing French restaurant, great food, staff and prices.

Precioso restaurante con comida encantadora y un ambiente muy relajado. Fuimos a cenar después de ver una película en el Everyman. Sin duda volvería y sin duda recomendaría!

As expected in London... on February 14th all the restaurants were full but we had the pleasure of having a table in one of the most sought after restaurants in Islinton... there was a queue waiting to get in and although the staff was very short compared to other years we were able to sit down after 15 minutes... the waiters looked for a way to not make us wait even though the time was a little longer than usual... the veal was delicious and the desserts made us forget the time we waited... the guys came out all the time to apologize to the other tables while we waited... without a doubt the occasion created a bit of controversy but we had a very pleasant evening.

Booked this restaurant for Valentine’s Day. when we got there, there was a queue all around the outside of people who had also booked. The restaurant had clearly massively overbooked itself, there were about 8 couples ahead of us in the queue, all waiting for the table they’d booked. No one from the restaurant came out to speak to anyone or even apologise for ruining everyone’s plans/evening. Totally rubbish from them! We tried waiting for a bit but it was clearly going to be a very long time so we found a table elsewhere. Unfortunately I used to really like this restaurant but now I won’t be coming back.

Booked a table on Valentine’s Day, and alongside 10 or 11 other couples, simply didn’t get in because they’d overbooked 2 or 3x. Maybe the food was good? But I’ll never know…

We arrived 5 minutes before our booking, only to arrive to a queue where other people, who also had bookings, had been waiting for while and had still not entered the restaurant. 40 minutes later we were finally sat down. It took 30 minutes before we got served our drinks and a further 30 minutes before we got our starters. My wife and I ordered the beef tartare as the starter, which was severely under seasoned and almost as dry as a Jacob’s cracker. We also ordered the oven Camembert, which never came. After finishing our underwhelming starters, another 40 minutes went by before for our mains arrived. We both went for the beef fillet which was probably the worst steak I’ve ever had. It tasted like someone had just dug it up out of the ground and was as tough as a steel toe cap boot, despite it being “medium rare”. The best part of the meal was probably the sweet potato fries which were definitely frozen, but seasoned well with salt. After having eaten about half of our mains, we decided to leave. Having heard from friends and family that this was a good restaurant, we were utterly gutted at the quality of service and food. Needless to say, we will not be coming back and we don’t recommend anyone come here either.

We booked a table for Valentine’s Day. We arrived and only needed to wait about 5 minutes to be shown to our table. Our order was taken in good time and our starters were delayed (30 min) but decent quality. After this, it became clear that the wait staff were completely overwhelmed with the amount of guests they had. It took a long time for our table to be cleared, and probably about 40 minutes for our mains to arrive. When the gnocchi did make an appearance, it was gummy and the tender stem broccoli was so undercooked it couldn’t be pierced with a fork. The duck was tough and sad. We’ve come here a few times before and the food was delicious and the service attentive so this experience was a surprise. Our server had no issue with removing the charge for the gnocchi and did give us free drinks during the agonising waiting time. Our server looked incredibly stressed throughout and no one would have been able to properly cater for the amount of tables she had been left to wait alone. Really hope management either accept less bookings or hire more staff on popular nights in the future.

Very cosy place. The food was delicious and prices very reasonable. Much underrated

Very cute! Possibly one of my fave little moments ever - always really enjoy eating here bc it feels like a good time and it’s also really reasonable and the food is always good.

For the price point vs quality, five stars! Have been several times and does not disappoint in offering classic dishes done really well. Not huge portions, but means you can enjoy a 3 course meal comfortably! Unfortunately did not have zero alcohol beer option but friendly service.

El menú se lee como una gran cervecería, pero la comida era muy decepcionante. Los entrantes salieron rápidamente y se recalentaron claramente. El bourguignon de res no era comestible. Pedazos de carne duros y sinuosos en una salsa fina e insípida. El puré y los frijoles estaban bien. Preferiría pagar un precio más alto y tener comida deliciosa. Nuestra camarera era encantadora, pero no está cerca de un restaurante de barrio establecido que dice ser.

Despite booking passers by were sat before us. Drinks arrived with the food, monk fish clearly frozen and overcooked resulting in rubbery and watery, got sent back, we asked for slimline got told no but got one anyways, asked for black crushed pepper, again got told no but then it came. We cancelked desert and left.

A great little spot! The set menu is fantastic and the service was super friendly :-)

Sorry to say that last nights experience didn't live up to the past 6 times, always loved it here and go back for the usually amazing rib eye, last night however not so good, not sure if the chef has changed but struggled eating my steak due to being very chewy, so much fat and gristle, may now have to re think my restaurant choice pre Almeida theatre.

Superb food and friendly service.

Habíamos disfrutado de una comida pre-teatro aquí antes de Covid, pero nos decepcionaron esta vez. El boeuf bourguignon era enormes trozos de carne de res bastante dura en una salsa con hongos y lardones de tocino graso, pero sin rastros de vino. Fue poco apetitoso. La tarta de manzana estaba encerrada en pastelería que no estaba cocinada debajo. Le pregunté si el chef era francés y me dijeron que eran polacos.

Food was very poor, however this was topped by the disgusting men’s toilets, the toilet would not flush and was building up with excrement, was dirty, tatty and worryingly right next to the kitchen, how this ever passed health and safety is beyond me.

Had a wonderful lunch with a lovely friend before going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake at Saddler's Wells. Truly delicious plump steak and generous fresh monkfish. Always a delightful treat dining here, never fails to deliver x

Hemos venido aquí durante más de una década y siempre ha sido fabuloso. Una cena previa al teatro para cuatro de nosotros. Reservamos una mesa para las 5 pm y para las 5 . 30 el restaurante a pie de calle estaba lleno, así que reserve con antelación para evitar la decepción. No te dejes llevar por los manteles de papel y la decoración lisa, todo se trata de la comida aquí. Un saludo encantador por parte del personal y un servicio profesional con clase desde el principio. El menú es del tamaño adecuado, ofrece 2 precios fijos, dos o tres selecciones de platos y el principal a la carta. Aunque una pequeña carta de vinos la botella más cara era de £ 44. Tuve el tian de cangrejo y aguacate, ambos ligeramente aplastados, llenos de frescura y una porción generosa. Para mi principal, opté por el filete de ternera en una cama de los hongos más frescos, en una sabrosa salsa rica acompañada de guisantes azucarados y camotes. El filete era de un tamaño generoso, cocinado a la perfección y bien descansado. Boca - sabrosa. Esta opción fue desde el menú de precio fijo por £ 29. Valor excepcional, especialmente en Londres. Todos tuvimos un entrante y principal, dos postres, compartimos dos botellas de vino Viognier, botella de agua y pan. La factura llegó a £ 195 incluyendo el cargo por servicio. El restaurante tiene un ambiente relajado y turbulento que contribuye a la fabulosa experiencia gastronómica. Muy recomendable. Gracias equipo, hasta pronto.

A cosy restaurant and interesting interior decor. Their menu had a good variety of meat and fish to cater to dietary preferences and made this restaurant a good meeting place for small groups, too. Portion size was generous and ideal for sharing. Very good value for money. I particularly enjoyed the pork belly served with sauteed kale, apple, and celariac; that was a beautiful and balanced dish.

Cozy restaurant with unique settings, waiters were really fast and polite. Food was really good and very well priced, beef bourguignon was amazing, and the creme brulé was just the perfect ending to a lovely dinner. I'll be back for sure, you just gained a new customer.

Great set menu, lovely food and well priced. Service 10/10. Definitely going back.

A very good place to go staff especially friendly and good service

Brilliant. Great food, service and ambience. Felt very relaxed here. Doesn’t take its self too seriously. Will go again. Very good value too!

Was dying to try this place and finally got to try it on my anniversary! was not disappointed at all. Food was delicious, prices were reasonable, was well catered for and such a romantic atmosphere with the low lit lighting and candles. We truly couldn't have spent our 2 year celebration anywhere else :) thank you for the memory!

This place is brilliant. Food came very quickly, the beef bourguignon was delightful and everything went swimmingly. Staff are great. Top marks all around

Great place, friendly staff and delicious food!

Almuerzo previo al teatro con viejos amigos. Arrancadores ok, pero la red es la peor que he tenido. Pescado mal pelado (Monkfish) y poco cocido , salsa de limón insípida pero muy salada y demasiado poca, verdura poco cocida, sin condimentar y no comestible. Servicio pobre, lento y aseo de señoras como 3er mundo, 1950! Muy decepcionante para un restaurante recomendado anteriormente.

Le Mercury is suspended in time…. And with that it maintains its charm. I used to frequent Le Mercury around 15 years ago for affordable dates and with large groups. It’s pretty much stayed the same since then. The food is acceptable.. and they’ve managed to maintain competitive prices. There are lots of cosy spaces to enjoy a romantic meal or intimate meal with friends. The wine is also decent for the prices as well. It’s become an Islington institution and I was glad to see it’s still on the high street.

Amazing food- great Sunday roast with perfectly cooked beef- and the best service I have had in a very long time in London- thank you!

Paseamos, vimos los asientos de arriba y pensamos que parecía interesante, revisamos el menú y decidimos probarlo. ¡Nos sentamos en la ventana junto a la puerta y comimos como reyes! La comida era fabulosa. Pagué cinco veces más por comida que no es tan buena. Personal amable, comedor divertido con las "cajas" de arriba, muchedumbre muy mixta, animada pero no ruidosa. Y honestamente, jajaja en la reseña a continuación quejándose de hamburguesa "cruda". Claramente nunca comí una hamburguesa en Francia.

Absolutamente fabulosa comida. Fue tratado por mi hijo y sus hijas por mi cumpleaños. La comida es excelente y muy buena relación calidad-precio. Un menú pequeño pero se nota en la calidad de la comida. Teníamos mejillones que estaban en una salsa preciosa quizás los mejores mejillones que he comido, seguido por, para mí, el salmón y luego todos teníamos la crème brûlée que eran crème brûlée no natillas que tantos son. Carta de vinos muy razonable a precios razonables. Si viviera más cerca estaría comiendo allí regularmente

It’s just okay. Which is a shame. My girlfriend was violently ill after the moules mariniere. The beef tartare was nice but the duck breast was flavourless and chewy. The mash potato just seemed like it was reheated as it stuck to the plate like a brick. The waitress had zero charm and seemed annoyed that we changed our decision on food before she even left the table. As I said, it’s just okay.

Love the atmosphere and the service the most. Food was good, but just not to my liking. Desserts - especially the chocolate tart, was so so good.

Had a delicious lunch today, the gratin potato sublime and lamb melt in the mouth, good portions, a friendly relaxed atmosphere and cute restaurant.

We decided to eat here for old times' sake and were so happy that it had retained the same qualities that it always had. The food was good, service and atmosphere perfect, and all for a really good price. We'll be back!

Fantastic food - I recommend the duck breast which was so succulent and served with a very tasty jus. The whole experience reminded me so much of spending summers in the south of France as a child. Lovely place and great prices!

Delicious food and impeccable service. Simple but well prepared dishes. I’ll definitely go back.

Disappointed the place has gone downhill unfortunately I had been before several times and was enthusiastic to take a friend there my soup was a strange colour and texture I ate half no bread ! next cauliflower steak was insipid and warm without flavour I had it re heated took a while..although restaurant not busy. I couldn't eat the pastry on the apple tart as dry and tasteless just ate the middle. Creme Brulee ok No presentation or finesse about anything we paid and left never to return.

Fabulous service and food i love this place

An excellent place with very attentive and pleasant service, a 10 and great food

Good food. Sadly they'd run out of the Sunday roast. It was early and quiet when we had dinner.

Been here twice and the food has been incredible both times. Service is very friendly and efficient, the atmosphere is really nice and it's also probably the best value for money restaurant I've been to in London.

I cannot rave about this place enough! Incredible food, fantastic service, lovely atmosphere, and so affordable. An absolute rare find in London and will definitely be my go-to forever. Thank you so much!

We had the delicious Sunday roast, a cheese selection and bottomless Prosecco. I really enjoyed it. The waiter is a diamond. I will definitely come back

Good location, helpful staff, and delicious foods. One should experience at this restaurant.

We went for the summer lunch offer advertised on their website and instagram only to be told they weren’t running it and given a menu double the price. I don’t mind paying more but this felt like a tourist trap / scam with the false advertising. Went to another French restaurant nearby.

Been here twice, good service. Second time we came here was for a leaving do. They had set up a section for us upstairs which was lovely. There’s a good set menu for groups more than 6. Food was nice, a little bland but not bad. The baked Camembert is really good.

Had lunch here last week with lots (20ish) of my family, the staff managed us all very well and the food was consistent, even when we asked for baked camembert with french fries. Prices are very reasonable too.

Hot tap in the bathroom is scalding hot and doesn’t turn off, cold tap won’t turn on, surely not that hard to get a plumber to sort this. Food quite nice, waiters and waitress all a bit tired and grumpy.

Cosy restaurant with lovely staff and flavorful dishes!

It’s been ages since I last ate at Le Mercury. Whilst the prices have remained highly competitive, the quality of dishes unfortunately has gone down hill. Maybe I was the unlucky one but based on my experience last night, I am unlikely to be coming back soon. We ordered cooked camembert to share as a starter. It was on the smaller side but was tasty (You can’t really go wrong with this). Although we did have to re-order a side of bread as the 3 slices that came with the dish barely allowed us to cover half of the camembert. Then came the main dish which I was really looking forward to “Beef Bourguignon”. If well done, the meat simply melts in your mouth. Sadly the meat was very tough and more annoyingly cold. If I had to guess, the food had probably been cooked, then frozen and then reheated which would explain why it wasn’t particularly hot nor soft. When I called the waiter, he apologised and immediately sent the dish back to the kitchen. When it came back, every item in the dish was piping hot (probably microwaved). Such a shame😔

A 3 course set menu of really nice food (microwaved Apple cake aside) for £20 is a rare find in London, and should be applauded. However, sat in the booths upstairs, with the bits of building which had fallen off took the shine off my dining experience. The USB table lamps hadn't been charged and didn't work, so it was dingy to say the least. The service was at times, non existent. Once you start looking of course, you see it all. The dusty decor needs seeing to, and the toilets were just plain awful.

Went to eat at le mercury on a Sunday afternoon. The food was ok Service was good. For a restaurant that claims to be french it doesn't feel french.

Nice food, service and cosy atmosphere with a cool theatre decoration. Been there twice and thinking of coming back

I've come here many times and the quality is not constant unfortunately – the same dishes are very well prepared on some nights and sloppily made (tough meat, bland food, vegetables served almost raw, watery sauce) on others. I asked whether they have different chefs on rotation but was informed that it is always the same chef that cooks. Shame, as the food is fantastic on those good nights and the prices are very fair too! Worth trying in any case.

Lovely little French restaurant full of character, friendly staff and delicious food.

Very quirky French restaurant with its theatre style booths. Very reasonably priced tasty food. Good wine. Friendly service. What more do you want after an afternoon trip to Sadlers Wells. It's definitely worth the 15-minute walk. The chain restaurants may be fancier, but the food isn't always so great. Authentic French food in a relaxed atmosphere.

The price of the food was amazing at £15 per main, however it was lacking flavour. Good place to go for home cooked food but not good for vegetarians

Tiny place with lots of character - you can sit in the red booths for more privacy. The food is delicious and the staff were very kind. There is a very good deal for 2 or 3 course menu, so we could try different dishes. We went there in the afternoon so it was only us, but they do serve bigger parties so it would be better to make a reservation just in case, as the place is small.

Not as good as it once was. We have been several times in recent years and always found it be very good and value for money. Something has changed… The lobster ravioli starter wasn’t warm enough. The main of lamb was ok but very little potato gratin and wasn’t too warm, same with the beans. Parts of the upstairs have seen better days Visited the bathrooms… not nice! But the service was friendly and efficient ££

Delicious food and great service . One of my favourite French restaurants in London

I had the most delightful experience dining at Le Mercury! The ambiance was charming and cosy, the food was absolutely delicious and the staff were incredibly helpful and attentive throughout the meal. I left feeling completely satisfied and looking for my next visit! 😘

Loved the decoration and vibes of the place. The food was good and the service. The table we got wasn't the best because it was near the door and it was a bit cool but for the rest everything was great. They offer vegan and vegetarian options and one vegan dessert.

Went there for a pre-theatre meal. The starters were great but the mains were terrible. One burger was raw so it was returned. The chicken breast was tough and the mushroom pasta was tasteless. Vey disappointed.

Excellent food and pleasant staff 🙏

Walking down Upper Street and thought I'd ask if there was a table. Been here before but years ago and place hasn't changed. Menu of classic dishes, well made and service very pleasant and efficient. Had the duck breast - cooked to a perfect pinkness - with creamy mash and cabbage and a jus. My brother had great shoulder of lamb with potato gratin and beans. Both meals well cooked and perfect comfort food on a miserable wet night. Bottle of smooth Malbec to go with dinner. And maybe more amazing than good food and service is the incredible reasonable price. Looking forward to coming back.

Rude staff. Served by Andrea and carmen. In the two hours they didn’t smile. The chicken was dry and the mushroom sauce was dry. We gave at 15 pound tip and they pretty much said that wasn’t enough and kicked up out! Even though no one checked on us. Smiled she’s issued with food. Better not to to tip

Food was edible but lacked flavour. I had the camembert which was luke warm and barely melted. The duck was flavourless and chewy along with a bland sauce. The menu itself is not very French. I do wonder why so many people like this place from the reviews but maybe because the ingredients are fresh!?

Food was OK and fresh ingredients used, but lacked flavour and seasoning, kinda bland still. Had the lobster ravioli but couldn't really taste much of it. Waitresses not very welcoming, I understand it was busy, but should at least crack a smile when entering and when leaving too! The restaurant theme is very French and vintage, but the food options was more like modern European. The menu on the Fork website is different from what is offered in-house

We had a lovely dinner here. The staff were very nice and helpful and we loved the atmosphere. We both had steak which was cooked well and the waiter recommended a wine to complement it

Rude staff. Served by Andrea and carmen. In the two hours they didn’t smile. The chicken was dry and the mushroom sauce was dry. We gave at 15 pound tip and they pretty much said that wasn’t enough and kicked up out! Even though no one checked on us. Smiled she’s issued with food. Better not to to tip

Cozy with a romantic ambiance, the food and service was great. Orchids and candlelight everywhere, can't wait to go back. It will definitely be soon.

Great place in the Tiny Corner of Upper Street.

I think it's all relative. That's why I have given them 5 stars. It is a quaint, almost old-fashioned set-up with a menu of significant variety. After visiting a neighbouring Italian restaurant with my octogenarian Mother + a couple of others, we sat and realised we were not in the place we wanted to be, so we decided to visit the neighbouring Le Mercury. The Manager accommodated us in one of the raised booths and a lovely man waited on us, as well as Lorena (thank you Lorena). We were really contented. There are few restaurants that try to do the best they can and there's always going to be customers who might be less than satisfied. We were not among them. We will come back soon.

Fantastic place! Very old school, no frills, just solid home cooking. It felt like a real treat to just have a simple, inexpensive, home cooked meal in (relatively) central London! We had avocado toast, baked camembert, beef borguignon, slow cooked lamb, banoffee pie and apple cake. It was all fresh, tasty and the lamb was actually knockout. Also the side of green beans and broccoli was fresh not frozen veg, which is sadly more of a rarity these days. The place is grubby but absolutely charming :)

If you fancy small french candle dinner this is the place for you. Lovely food selection of starters, wine and mains plus great desserts. Cosy and lovely atmosphere. Last time we visited this spot was in 2018 and the quality and atmosphere remains the same. Great Gem in Angel!

What a cute find this restaurant is, walked by it by chance and the staff couldnt be more accommodating. The Beef Bourguignon was delicious, topped off with Apple Pie... I loved the fun theatre decor, a great place to sit and watch the world go by. Loved it!

I'm surprised to see a couple of recent negative reviews. I've been coming here since I lived nearby 25 years ago and my last three visits have all been excellent. It's bigger than it looks, with additional rooms upstairs, but always feels cosy and romantic. There offer a great selection of typical French dishes, properly cooked and nicely presented. The service is good, although it can be very busy at times. The prices are very reasonable and it's somewhere you should try if you're looking for lunch or dinner on Upper Street.

The atmosphere is very rustic, especially if you have special private round tables. If you're on the hunt for a new dining spot, I'd highly recommend giving this place a try! In my opinion, the food is decent and worth the price. But what sets this restaurant apart is the unique ambience - it's the perfect spot for a memorable dinner date. Just be sure to plan and make a reservation, otherwise, you may find yourself waiting outside for quite some time. 😉

Delicious food and attentive service at a fantastic price! The ambiance was lovely and quaint, and added to whole experience.

Very good value for money. Highly recommend and delicious food.

DON'T GO HERE IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES! I normally like dining at La Mercury but something happened yesterday which is simply not good enough. For context, I have a severe nut allergy. I ordered the baked goat's cheese for my starter and nowhere on the menu did it say that it contained almonds. When it arrived it had almonds sprinkled on top so naturally I notified the waitress about my allergy, told her that there was no mention of almonds on the menu and asked if they could remake the dish for me. When they returned with the new dish, I was still cautious and double checked with the waitress that it didn't contact any almonds. She took it back to the kitchen and reassured me. I took a bite and noticed that they just scraped the almonds off of the top of the dish and there were still almonds under the goats cheese. Luckily I must have not ate any of the almonds in that first bite but this is simply not good enough. If you're going to be serving food - you need to be cautious of customer's allergies. This is a standard in the dining industry!

Food was so delicate and lovely and tasty

Food delicious, tables a bit too small

Very cute set up and a cosy vibe Love the pan fried sea trout

I am deeply troubled by the treatment my mum and I received at this restaurant.We were turned away upon arrival, with the excuse of being fully booked despite there being several empty seats. This excuse crumbled when we called again to inquire, only to be met with the revelation that they could indeed seat a party of six. The inconsistency and apparent dishonesty in their practices raise serious concerns about their integrity. I wonder if our inquiries about seating were met with discrimination, especially given the empty restaurant and the fact that we are black, my mother is disabled and I was with my baby. Such behavior is unacceptable and reflects poorly on the establishment's values. I urge others to consider whether they want to support a business that may engage in discriminatory practices.

Excellent food brilliant price. Highly recommended 👌

Firstly whilst I am giving 4 stars as average rating, I highly recommend this place for the value for money. Where do you find these days a place where the starter is less than £5, and main course under £14, and you get full and classic French and done properly? The place is a bit quirky and not the most fanciest of the place, but it definitely is a good place to eat good French. I’d say I’d preferred duck to be med rare and steak tartare to be more spicy, but otherwise the food was perfect.

I agree entirely with Sophie in Manchester. What a let down. Shame. The owners of this establishment had a fabulous reputation for running an excellent restaurant and they seem to be throwing it away recklessly.

Interesting French food. Food was good

Went with my girlfriend, really nice meal. I had the halibut, she had steak. Lovely atmosphere, quite romantic. I would definitely recommend.

Cute little restaurant with very good food and good vibe. Will be going back.

Just not what it used to be at all. It was such a let down. Starters were cold, food was ‘heated up’ and the really random booths need to go. I’m sorry but it’s just not a vibe. The waitress was rude, the toilets were dingy and the whole place looks like it’s on it last legs. I’d avoid if you've previously been pre covid, and I’d avoid if you haven’t. Either way.